Step-by-step explainers and practical walkthroughs for safer digital behavior.
Passed in 2016 to combat cybercrime, PECA has become one of Pakistan’s most controversial laws. From journalists like Gharida Farooqi to ordinary citizens, is this law protecting people or the state? What does the future of free speech look like in Pakistan’s digital space? Let’s unbox the online world in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, or PECA, is once again at the centre of debate as lawyers, journalists, academics and citizens face cases under the country’s cybercrime framework. In this episode of DigiPod, host Usama Khilji speaks with lawyers Rida Hussain and Noorzadeh Raja about how PECA, especially after the 2025 amendments, may conflict with constitutional protections for free speech, fair trial and due process.
Usama Khilji speaks with Nighat Dad, Executive Director of Pakistan’s Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) and former member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Panel on AI, to break down what “digital rights” actually mean in the age of artificial intelligence.
Digital rights are the fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals have while using the internet, digital platforms, and modern technologies. These include the right to privacy, data protection, freedom of expression, access to information, and protection from cybercrime and digital surveillance. As our daily lives increasingly rely on digital systems for communication, education, work, and governance, understanding these rights has become essential. Knowing digital rights empowers citizens to use technology safely and responsibly, question misuse of personal data, and hold institutions accountable.
Why Was the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Amendment) 2025 Introduced in Pakistan? | Expert Analysis by ARY News Legislations such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) risk undermining a free, protected, and inclusive digital civic space, where individuals should be able to express their views and raise their voices without fear of surveillance, harassment, or retaliation.
Ten years ago, a law emerged that continues to shape Pakistan’s digital landscape—The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, or PECA, 2016. It all started in 2015 when a draft of this controversial bill was leaked to the public. The National Assembly’s IT committee approved a version of the bill—eerily similar to the leaked draft. What followed was a saga of resistance, debate, and, ultimately, a law that raises more questions than it answers.
Protection Desk